Women's Lifestyle Balance Study

The goal of this pilot study is to determine whether the efficacy of an existing lifestyle improvement program can be increased by adding a sleep extension and sleep hygiene intervention. Improved sleep can improve weight loss through two possible routes: lessening fatigue may potentiate physical activity (PA), and decreasing appetite may potentiate diet improvements. A sample of 24-30 women will be assigned to either the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC's) standard PreventT2 program or the same program with an additional integrated sleep intervention. Both programs will involve 8 group sessions administered over 3 months, and all women will be followed for a total of 6 months. The primary outcome is weight loss, and secondary outcomes include sleep quality and duration, physical activity, caloric intake, and physiological indicators of cardiovascular and diabetes risk (HbA1c, HOMA-IR, lipids, blood pressure). The combined program has the potential to significantly improve weight loss in those at risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD).